Toy simulating living creatures and an enclosure therefor

ABSTRACT

A toy which includes a plurality of FIGS. simulating living creatures and an enclosure simulating a house for these creatures. The figures which simulate the living creatures may represent different animals, birds and the like. The enclosure, which may simulate a barn, for example, has a plurality of doorsimulating bodies movable between open and closed positions, and these bodies respectively carry locks provided with key-receiving portions of different configurations. The several figures which represent the various creatures are respectively provided with keys of different configurations to be respectively received in the key-receiving portions of the locks, so that only a figure representing a given creature will be able to lock and unlock a given door-simulating body. The keys which are carried by the several figures are characteristic of different parts of the anatomy of the figures such as the snouts of four-legged creatures or the bills of birds.

United States Patent Fusco [451 Mar. 21, 1972 [54] TOY SIMULATING LIVINGPrimary Examiner-F. Barry Shay CREATURES AND AN ENCLOSURE t- THEREFORAttorney-Elam, Moscovitz, Friedman 8: Kaplan [72] Inventor: Franc C.Fusco, Monroe, NY. [57] ABSTRACT [73] Assignee: Louis Marx & Co., Inc. Atoy which includes a plurality of FIGS. simulating living creatures andan enclosure simulating a house for these crea- [22] filed May 1971tures. The figures which simulate the living creatures may [21] Appl.No.: 146,335 represent different animals, birds and the like. Theenclosure, which may simulate a barn, for example, has a plurality of Idoor-simulating bodies movable between open and closed [52] $5.81]..,46/lA26,3Z;5;2320Ao positions, and these bodies respectively carrylocks provided [51] 'i 6 35/22 with key-receiving portions of differentconfigurations. The [58] e 0 l a several figures which represent thevarious creatures are respectively provided with keys of differentconfigurations to [56] Reference cued be respectively received in thekey-receiving portions of the Nn-ED TATES PATENTS locks, so that only afigure representing a given creature will U S be able to lock and unlocka given door-simulating body. The 2,623,303 12/1952 Mindel A kcys whichare carried by the several figures are characteristic 2,303,652 12/1942McGaugh et al ..35/22 A of different pans of the anatomy of thg figurcssuch as the snouts of four-legged creatures or the bills of birds.

PATENTEDHARZI I972 3,650,064

SHEET 1 0F 2 FIG. I

INVFINTOR FRANK C FUSCO A TTORNEY PATENTEDMARZI 2972 I 3,650,064

SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR.

FRANK C. FUSCO BY flnx WW WM ATTORNEYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to toys.

In particular, the present invention relates to toys of the type whichinclude toy figures which simulate various living creatures such asdifferent animals or birds, and an enclosure which simulates a house inwhich the creatures live.

There are known toys of this general type where an enclosure simulatinga house for given creatures is adapted to accommodate figures whichrepresent the creatures. However, conventional toys of this type to notchallenge the intelligence of children. When children play with toys ofconventional construction, the children soon become bored because thereis no sustained entertainment value in such toys. Such conventional toysdo not present to the children any problems which they must solve andthe entertainment and attention-sustaining value of such conventionaltoys are undesirably deficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a toy of the above general type which willhave a high level of entertainment and attention-sustaining capability.

Also, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy of thisgeneral type which will teach children valuable concepts such as theplacing of different items in their proper locations and the matchingtogether of pairs of items of similar configurations and sizes.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a toy whichwill achieve these objects without requiring the structures of the toyto depart from structures which are representative of shapes which areactually encountered.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a toy which issimple and inexpensive and which at the same time can be used withcomplete safety by young children.

According to the invention, the toy includes an enclosure whichsimulates a house for living creatures such as animals and birds. Theenclosure has a wall formed with openings through which figures whichsimulate the living creatures can be introduced into and removed fromthe interior of the enclosures. A plurality of door-simulating bodiesare operatively connected to the enclosure at the wall openings thereoffor movement between closed positions closing the openings and openpositions permitting movement of the figures through the openings intoand out of the enclosure. Each of the doorsimulating bodies is providedwith a lock means for releasably locking the body in its closedposition, and the several lock means are respectively provided withkey-receiving portions of different configurations. A plurality offigures which respectively simulate the several creatures arerespectively provided with keys of different configurations which matchthose of the key-receiving portions of the lock means, respectively, sothat each figure will be able to operate onlyone lock means so as to becable of locking andunlocking only one door-simulating body. The keys ofthe several figures respectively form characteristic parts of theanatomies thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings which form part of this applicationand in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of an enclosure forming part of the toy of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the several figuresof the toy ofthe invention, the particular figure of FIG. 2 simulating a pig;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the enclosure of FIG. las seen from theleft of FIG. 1, with one of the door-simulating bodies of the enclosurebeing shown in its openposition in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional plan view taken along line 4-4 of FIG.1 in the direction of the arrows and showing at a scale which isenlarged as compared to FIG. 1 details of a door-simulating body andlock means of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the structure of FIG. 4 takenin the direction of line 5-5 of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows;and

FIG. 6 is partly sectional fragmentary elevation taken along line 6-6 ofFIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows further details of the lock means.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there isillustrated therein an enclosure 10 which simulates a house foraccommodating in its interior various creatures such as differentanimals and birds. The enclosure 10 may be provided at its top with ahandle 12 enabling the enclosure to be carried about to any desiredlocation. The enclosure 10 has a floor 14 and side walls extendingupwardly from the floor and joining a roof so that the entire enclosure10 simulates a barn, as illustrated in FIG. I.

The enclosure wall 16 which is visible in FIG. 1 is formed with aplurality of openings 18 through which figures which represent variouscreatures may be introduced into and removed from the interior of theenclosure 10. At the wall 16 the openings 18 are surrounded by flanges20 which simulate door frames.

A plurality of door-simulating bodies 22 are operatively connected tothe enclosure wall 16 at the openings 18 thereof for-movement betweenthe closed positions illustrated in FIG. 1, where the bodies 22 preventfigures from being moved into or out of the enclosure, and the openposition illustrated for one of the bodies 22 in FIG. 3, permittingfigures to be freely moved into and out of the enclosure 10 through theopenings 18 thereof.

In the illustrated example the several door-simulating bodies 22 are inthe form of rectangular plates provided at their upper and lower rightcorners, as viewed in FIG. 1, with pins 24 (FIG. 4) received in suitableopenings in the floor l4 and in the wall 16 along the upper part of eachopening 18, so that each door-simulating body 22 can be swung from theclosed position as shown in FIG. 1 to the open position shown for thebody 22 at the lower right of FIG. 3.

As is illustrated in FIG. 4, the wall 16 carries next to the floor 14 atransverse bar 26 simulating a threshold and limiting the inwardmovement of each door-simulating body, so that these bodies 22 can onlyswing outwardly to their operi positions and inwardly to their closedpositions. To facilitate swinging of the door-simulating bodies 22 thelatter respectively carry handles 28.

In order to maintain the several door-simulating bodies 22 in theirclosed positions, they are respectively provided with lock means 30, thedetails of which are illustrated in FIGS. 3-6. Each lock means 30includes a rotary lock member 32 having a front projecting portionturnably received in an opening 34 of each plate which forms thedoor-simulating body 22. This front projection fills the opening 34while being freely turnable therein. Next tothe inner surface 36 of eachdoorsimulating body 22, the rotary lock member 32 hasan outwardlydirected circular flange portion 38 which prevents the rotary lockmember 32 from moving forwardly through the opening 34, and this flange38 has at one portion a radial projection 40 of substantiallyrectangular configuration adapted to overlap an inner surface portion ofthe enclosure wall 16 to prevent opening of the door-simulating body 22.Each rotary lock member 32 also has a rearwardly extending circularportion 42 received with a relatively close fit in a circular opening ofa wall 44 most clearly shown in FIG. 3 at the inner surface 36 of thedoor-simulating body 22 which is visible in FIG. 3. This wall 44 has aforwardly extending peripheral flange 46 which directly engages thesurface 36 and which spaces the wall 44 from the surface 36 by adistance approximately equal to the thickness of the flange 38 and thelock projection 40. The wall 44 is fixed in any suitable way to thedoor-simulating body 22 so that it serves to retain the rotary lockmember 32 on the door-simulating body. The flange 46 is formed along thefree edge 48 of the door-simulating body 22 with an elongatedinterruption 50 most clearly shown in FIG. 6. This interand showingruption 50 forms an elongated slot through which the lock projection 40can freely turn between the position shown in FIG. 5, where the body 22is maintained closed and the position shown in FIG. 6 where the lockmeans has been turned to its open position enabling the door-simulatingbody to be swung to the open position shown for the lower right handdoor-simulating body 22 of FIG. 3.

In accordance with a particular feature of the present invention, theseveral rotary lock means 30 are respectively formed with key-receivingportions 52, and the several key-receiving portions 52 are all ofdifferent configurations, as is apparent from FIG. 1.

The toy of invention includes a plurality of figures which simulatevarious living creatures such as animals or birds. Thus, FIG. 2 shows afigure 54 which simulates a pig. The several door-simulating bodies 22carry at their exterior surface representations of the several figures.Thus, FIG. 1 shows representations not only of the pig which issimulated by the figure 54 but also of a horse, a goat and a duck. Theseveral figures 54 are respectively provided with keys 56 theconfigurations of which match those of the differently shapedkeyreceiving portions 52. These keys 56 which are respectively carriedby the several figures respectively form characteristic parts of theanatomy of the animals represented by the figures. Thus, in the case ofthe figure 54, the key 56 represents the snoutof the pig. Thus, it willbe seen that the key 56 has substantially an inverted U-shapedconfiguration, which is characteristic of the snout of a pig. Thedoor-simulating body 22 which carries the representation of a pigthereon is provided at its lock means with a key-receiving portion 52which matches the configuration of the key 56. This key-receivingillustrated in the opening 52. 52 is in the form of an opening whichpasses through the front wall of the rotary lock member 32 at the partthereof which is received in the opening 34. Thus, a child using the toywill be compelled to insert the snout 56 of the figure 54 in the opening52 in order to unlock the proper door-simulating body 22. In order toturn the lock means 30 from the locked position thereof shown in FIGS. 4and 5, the child will introduce the snout 56 of the figure 54 into theopening 52 and will then turn the lock means to the position shown inFIG. 6 where the snout 56 is means Once the lock means has been turnedto the unlocking position of FIG. 6 the figure 54 can be removed and thedoor can be swung to the open position shown in FIG. 3 where the innersurface 36 of the door-simulating body 22 is shown.

In the same way, the right door of FIG. 1 will be provided at its lockmeans with a key-receiving portion 52 in the form of an opening of anelongated substantially vertically extending elliptical configurationsimulating the snout of a goat, and thus a figure representing a goatwill be provided at its snout with a key having a matching configurationenabling the right door of FIG. 1 to be opened and closed. The next doorof FIG. 1 has an elongated horizontal key-receiving portion 52 providedwith substantially V-shaped ends simulating the configuration of thesnout of a horse and thus the figure representing a horse will beprovided with a key whose snout matches this configuration enabling thisparticular door to be opened and closed.

The left door-simulating body 22 of FIG. 1 carries the representation ofa duck. The key-receiving portion 52 of the lock means thereof has theconfiguration of a horizontally extending slot matching theconfiguration of the front tip of the bill of the duck, so that a figurerepresenting the duck can have the tip of the bill thereof introducedinto the key-receiving portion 52 of the left body 22 of FIG. 1 enablingthis body to be swung between its open and closed positions.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the interior of the enclosure can beprovided with partitions 58 defining internal compartments forrespectively receiving the various figures, and the doors can beprovided both at the right and left sides of the enclosure ]0, as viewedin FIG. 3.

entertainment and educational value of the toy.

What IS claimed is:

l. A toy comprising an enclosure having a configuration simulating ahouse which receives in its interior simulated living creatures such asanimals, birds and the like, said enclosure having a wall formed withopenings through which figures simulating the living creatures may beintroduced into and removed from the enclosure, a plurality ofdoor-simulating bodies operatively connected to said enclosure at saidwall openings thereof, respectively, for movement between closedpositions preventing movement of figures through said openings and openpositions permitting movement of figures through said openings, aplurality of lock means respectively carried by said door-simulatingbodies for releasably locking the latter in said closed positionsthereof, respectively, said lock means respectively having key-receivingportions of different configurations, respectively, and a plurality oftoy figures respectively simulating said creatures and respectivelyprovided with keys respectively having configurations matching those ofsaid key-receiving portions of said plurality of lock means, so thateach door can be opened only by a figure provided with a key whoseconfiguration matches that of the key-receiving portion of the lockmeans of each door.

2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said keys respectively haveconfigurations which are respectively characteristic of parts of theanatomy of the several figures.

3. The combination of claim 2 and wherein at least one of said figuresrepresents an animal having a snout the configuration of which ischaracteristic of said animal, and said figure having a snout portionforming said key, one of said lock means having a key-receiving portionwhose configuration matches the configuration of said snout portion.

4. The combination of claim 2 and wherein said figure simulates a birdhaving a bill, and the key-receiving portion of at least one of saidlock means having a configuration matching that of said bill to receivethe latter, said bill thus forming the key of the latter figure.

5. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enclosure simulates abarn.

6. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said door-simulating bodiesare operatively connected to said enclosure wall for swingable movementwith respect thereto between said closed and open positions.

7. The combination of claim 6 and wherein said enclosure wall carries ameans for limiting inward movement of said bodies when the latter are intheir closed positions so that said door-simulating bodies swingoutwardly to said open positions thereof.

8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein said plurality of lock meansare respectively in the form of turnable lock members carried by saiddoor-simulating bodies for turning movement with respect thereto, andsaid lock members respectively overlapping inner surface portions ofsaid enclosure wall when maintaining said door-simulating bodies closedand said lock members being turnable to release positions where they arein a nonoverlapping relationship with respect to the inner surface ofsaid enclosure wall.

9. The combination of claim 8 and wherein said key-receiving portionsare respectively in the form of openings passing through said lockmembers and respectively having said different configurations.

10. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said doorsimulating bodiesrespectively carry at exterior surfaces thereof which are visible whensaid bodies are in their closed positions representations of thecreatures which are respec tively provided with the keys to be receivedat the key-receiving portions of said plurality of lock means,respectively.

1. A toy comprising an enclosure having a configuration simulating ahouse which receives in its interior simulated living creatures such asanimals, birds and the like, said enclosure having a wall formed withopenings through which figures simulating the living creatures may beintroduced into and removed from the enclosure, a plurality ofdoor-simulating bodies operatively connected to said enclosure at saidwall openings thereof, respectively, for movement between closedpositions preventing movement of figures through said openings and openpositions permitting movement of figures through said openings, aplurality of lock means respectively carried by said door-simulatingbodies for releasably locking the latter in said closed positionsthereof, respectively, said lock means respectively having key-receivingportions of different configurations, respectively, and a plurality oftoy figures respectively simulating said creatures and respectivelyprovided with keys respectively having configurations matching those ofsaid key-receiving portions of said plurality of lock means, so thateach door can be opened only by a figure provided with a key whoseconfiguration matches that of the key-receiving portion of the lockmeans of each door.
 2. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said keysrespectively have configurations which are respectively characteristicof parts of the anatomy of the several figures.
 3. The combination ofclaim 2 and wherein at least one of said figures represents an animalhaving a snout the configuration of which is characteristic of saidanimal, and said figure having a snout portion forming said key, one ofsaid lock means having a key-receiving portion whose configurationmatches the configuration of said snout portion.
 4. The combination ofclaim 2 and wherein said figure simulates a bird having a bill, and thekey-receiving portion of at least one of said lock means having aconfiguration matching that of said bill to receIve the latter, saidbill thus forming the key of the latter figure.
 5. The combination ofclaim 1 and wherein said enclosure simulates a barn.
 6. The combinationof claim 1 and wherein said door-simulating bodies are operativelyconnected to said enclosure wall for swingable movement with respectthereto between said closed and open positions.
 7. The combination ofclaim 6 and wherein said enclosure wall carries a means for limitinginward movement of said bodies when the latter are in their closedpositions so that said door-simulating bodies swing outwardly to saidopen positions thereof.
 8. The combination of claim 7 and wherein saidplurality of lock means are respectively in the form of turnable lockmembers carried by said door-simulating bodies for turning movement withrespect thereto, and said lock members respectively overlapping innersurface portions of said enclosure wall when maintaining saiddoor-simulating bodies closed and said lock members being turnable torelease positions where they are in a nonoverlapping relationship withrespect to the inner surface of said enclosure wall.
 9. The combinationof claim 8 and wherein said key-receiving portions are respectively inthe form of openings passing through said lock members and respectivelyhaving said different configurations.
 10. The combination of claim 1 andwherein said door-simulating bodies respectively carry at exteriorsurfaces thereof which are visible when said bodies are in their closedpositions representations of the creatures which are respectivelyprovided with the keys to be received at the key-receiving portions ofsaid plurality of lock means, respectively.